TACOMA – Girl wrestlers from the Trico League had overall better success than the boys at Mat Classic XIX in the Tacoma Dome Feb. 15 and 16. LaCenter’s ladies claimed sixth place and Rochester was 10th among 61 schools having girl wrestlers competing in the extravaganza. Hoquiam was the first-ever girls’ state champion.

Rochester boys were ninth and Castle Rock followed at 11th for the strongest showing from the Trico. Evergreen’s Tenino was 15th and Montesano 19th in team points. Other teams from District IV placing at Mat Classic were Kalama 20th, Onalaska 23rd, Forks 29th, Stevenson 38th and LaCenter 42nd.

In the biggest Mat Classic yet there were 1,120 boys and 72 girls competing for a total of 79 state championships and six team state titles. Boys earned 560 medals and girls were awarded 36 during the event. Each boys’ classification has 14 weight groups from 103 lbs. to 285 lbs. and the girls are divided into nine weight classes. All girls competed in one classification, no matter their school size, and the 1B and 2B boys were grouped together to go with 1A through 4A classifications.